


Library

by HeatherGiesbrecht



Category: Crimson Peak (2015)
Genre: Aristocracy, Attraction, Books, Canon Era, Complete, Cross-Generation Relationship, Cross-Generational Friendship, Dialogue, Explanations, First Meetings, Ghosts, Help, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Inner Dialogue, Libraries, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Mild Language, Missing Scene, Non-Canon Relationship, Occult, One Shot, Pre-Crimson Peak, Pre-Slash, Purple Prose, Rings, Suits, Understanding, Victorian, Waistcoats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-14 17:26:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5751838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherGiesbrecht/pseuds/HeatherGiesbrecht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Approximately an hour had passed since he'd started looking for books on ghosts and their phenomena. In that time he had found exactly nothing, perhaps it was time to ask for help. No, it was not an excuse simply to talk to the rather handsome raven haired man one shelf over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Library

Alan sighed in frustration, approximately an hour had passed since he'd started looking for books on ghosts. In that time he had found exactly nothing, perhaps it was time to ask for help. No, it was not an excuse simply to talk to the rather handsome raven haired man one shelf over. Once again his eye wandered to said man who was clad in a cobalt suit and vest. Yes, the suit was a few years out of fashion and near threadbare, but it was also perfectly tailored to that delightfully lithe form. A silver ring glimmered on the middle finger as it stroked the black book's cover, the ring's position obviously indicated some rank within either aristocracy or nobility. Well, that was considering they were in England and presuming that the man was as much English as he was American.

Deliberately slowly the man closed the book returned it to its place and glided to stand beside him. He nearly flushed as he failed to return his attention to the books set before him. Ivory skin, an expensive silver and onyx family ring, cheekbones sharp enough that he was surprised he'd yet to cut himself on them. Upper class ? Most definitely. The voice was silky and deep, tinged with some type of English accent, "Not having any luck finding what we're looking for, old chap ?" as innocent yet piercing, dark sapphire eyes looked to him.

"Ah, no, I'm not. I am Alan McMichael, I happen to currently be looking for information on ghosts and associated phenomena."

"Looking in the fiction section for ghosts...in England ? Mr. McMichael, I pray you will forgive my bluntness, but do you know how seriously we English take our ghosts ?"

"Very much so, I presume. Would you perhaps be kind enough to show me where this section resides ?"

The man nodded, turned away and started walking, "I am Sir Thomas. Have you heard some of the latest theories on the appearances of ghosts ?"

Sir Thomas, so the man who looked in his thirties was either a Knight of the Realm or a baronet. As he followed the aristocrat over the light oak floor he answered, "No, I've not paid much attention to the newspapers lately." Right turn, straight, three shelves down, left turn, four shelves and another right turn.

It turned out that the older man was rather versed in the matter. "If one were buried in, say, an area with large deposits of quartz then the theory is that it then becomes infused with the body. They say the infusion of material alters the composition of the ghost thus adding to its corporeality. What they do not know is that to a certain extent the decomposition that happens to the body happens to the ghostly form as well. They don't mention that eventually the bones start to show through, that the blood, the wounds...ah, needless to say they are not a sight that one wishes to see."

Sir Thomas's last sentence was enough to pique his interest, it did not sound like a scientific theory, it sounded as fact. Like Edith had seen her mother's ghost, had Sir Thomas seen a ghost ? If he had, it meant that Sir Thomas could potentially solidify the theory that one needed the capacity to see all colours to see ghosts. "You would not happen to have colourblindness to red and green would you, Sir Thomas ?"

They stopped before a shelf like any other, "No, my vision is perfect. Tell me, have you ever seen a ghost, Mr. McMichael ?"

"Personally ? No, I have not. Foolish as it may be I was hoping to change that sometime."

"I may be able to help you there. You see there is a man, Mr. Jeremy Coors, down on 51st Street in a little curio shoppe, he has some slides that you might find...useful in your little endeavor. Hmm, well, here we are, the section on occult phenomena." Before he could ask for the help Sir Thomas started pulling out quite a few books then handed them to him. "There, those should keep you well occupied. Perhaps you might wish to have a little friendly debate afterwards ?"

Alan looked over the books, most were thinner, but two were rather thick. He didn't know if it was just that Sir Thomas's hand had brushed his or if the man's voice was simply beguiling enough to make it sound as if there were more to the offer. Regardless he was quick to thank the man and agree to said debate. Would it still count if he got Sir Thomas aroused enough to go on a tirade ? He didn't think so, but it would be worth a shot.


End file.
